The drugs-crime wars: Past, present and future directions in theory, policy and program interventions.

In the substantial body of literature investigating the relationship between drug use and crime, a causal link between the two behaviors has not been established, yet a high correlation between them has been confirmed. It has also been observed in the literature that the relationship between drug use and crime exists within a framework of societal policies ranging from regulated commercial approaches to strict prohibition. Against this background, the authors of this research paper propose that application of theoretical models such as âecosystems theoryâ? and âsocial capitalâ? would improve understanding of the nature and complexity of the relationship. Reviewing programmatic approaches to break the drugs-crime relationship, the authors indicate that the most successful approaches include a comprehensive range of services from assessment, implementation of services to meet assessed needs, and aftercare with a framework of graduated sanctions and thorough case management. The authors then identify directions for future research to evaluate state policies and the effectiveness of specific treatment program elements.